Mir can be translated in at least a few ways. The official translation for the space station is peace, but Mir can also be translated as commune or village.

NPO Energia head Yuri Semenov described the program in 1989, "We began the development of a modular-type station in 1976. We have spent R1.7 billion on the entire program over 13 years. This includes everything from the first diagrams to the manufacture of stations, delivery systems, and spacecraft, from scientific equipment to housing for people working in our branch. ... Approximately 200 scientific, project, and construction organizations of 20 ministries and departments participated in the program. .. Almost half a billion, was spent on modernization of space equipment. Incidentally, in creating equipment we take into consideration the issues of economic efficacy. For example, gyrodynes allow for the orientation of the space complex without wasting fuel. A new life protection system spares us the need to constantly bring oxygen regenerators on board. Because of this, we can deliver a supplemental 24 metric tons of cargo to Mir, mostly scientific equipment."

In 1978, Konstantin Feoktistov said he thought that a Salyut should be equipped with seven to eight docking ports. This would allow departing Soyuz to leave their orbital modules docked, providing six cubic meters of space for experiments. This was later tested on Salyut 6, but he said to add even one component like a docking port to the Salyut was difficult, since the surface was covered by apparatus and equipment. He also said that the launch shroud restricted the size and shape of the station. Mir was launched within a standard Salyut launch shroud.

At the IAF conference in Sweden, in Oct. 1985, the Soviets announced that Mir would have multiple docking ports and be expanded by adding four to six modules to the ports. Mir was 13.13 meters long, 4.15 meters in diameter and weighed 20,000 kg.. The station was designed to operate for at least 10 years. Mir was different from previous Salyut's in that almost all of the instruments and experiments were removed from the space station leaving more room inside for living accommodations. The experiments would be located in add-on modules which were launched over a period of years after the Mir launch. The main program for Mir research was in 6 areas including space technology, astrophysics, resources, technology, biotechnology, medicine and biology.

Control on the station is highly automated, only 13% of operations require manual intrevention. There are 900 displays and indicators in Mir and 350 average in each additional module. Its estimated that if automatic control failed, the crew of 2 could maintain 65% of normal functions in Mirs 23 major subsystems. Each day, 3-4 hours are spent in communications, 3-4 maintaining life support, 5 hours working on the experiment program. Research cosmonauts are allocated 60% time to the experiment program, accordingly the researcher needs less knowledge of station systems, estimated at 5-10% the knowledge of a commander. Routinly 7-8 types of experiment projects are operated daily.

Mir was equipped with a multiple docking adapter with 2 docking drogues and 3 blank hatches in place of the transfer compartment on a normal Salyut. These additional docking ports would be used for specialized modules weighing up to 21,000 kg. each. The Soviets said that the final weight of Mir would be 100,000 kg., equal to the weight of Mir and Kvant with four more modules. The forward port also was equipped with the new Kurs docking system for use with new orbital modules and the Soyuz TM. The Kurs docking system eliminated the need for the space station to be orientated toward the approaching spacecraft. At the time, the Progress still used the Igla system which required the station to be pointed actively toward the Progress. This required use of large amounts of attitude propellant (around 190 kg.). Procedures were revised by the flight of Progress 33 which cut this amount in half. Over the first 3 years of operations of Mir, the improved attitude control and docking systems had allowed 24000 kg. of extra cargo to be flown to Mir instead of propellant.

The Mir multiple docking adapter

All spacecraft docking to the forward five ports first dock to the front port. A new manipulator system then moves modules to a side port. Manipulators were installed on the modules to dock them to the side ports using two grappling points on the docking adapter. The manipulators were very primitive compared to the multi-purpose U.S. shuttle manipulator arm. The Soviet manipulators (the Ljappa system) were short small arms with only two degrees of freedom, just enough to move a module to one of the side docking ports. Three petals on both the arm and attach point guided the latching mechanisms together. The manipulators were not intended to serve any other purpose than moving the large modules around. It was not an acceptable practice to dock to the side ports directly since the solar arrays were so close.

Mir launched 2.5 tons heavier than planned and many instruments originally planned for launch had to be left on the ground and sent up later in other modules. The Mir station was to reach its initial operating capability when the Kvant and Kvant 2 were docked to it, but routine operations began with the docking of the Kvant module. The final Mir configuration with four orbital modules was originally planned to house six people, of which three would be rotated about every 60 or 120 days.

Mir was equipped with two newly designed gallium arsenide solar arrays attached to its mid-section instead of a Salyut's three arrays, but the Mir arrays were more than twice as big. Each array was about 10 meters long and four meters wide, total area was 76 square meters, they spanned 29.73 meters and they produce an estimated 9 KW of power. Mir was equipped with a buffer battery for power surges and several reserve batteries for use as additional modules were added to the station. Provisions for installing an additional array to the mid-section were provided to power the Kvant module. This array would supply 2.4 kilowatts from 24 square meters area. On the aft end of the station was a small dish antenna for communication through SDRN satellites to ground stations. The data rate from Mir was initially triple that from the Salyut type stations and this increase also required more powerful computers at mission control. The Soviets predicted that the number of commands required to manage the Mir complex could grow from 300 to 1000 once all five modules were added.

The engine system was apparently little changed from the Salyut 6 type ODU. It had one 300 kg. thrust main engines and thirty two, 14 kg. thrust RCS rockets. All of the station's port holes had movable outside covers for protection from dust. New type television cameras on the docking ports were used to observe spacecraft dockings. Mir was also equipped with a MKF-6M or MKS-M viewing port in the adapter section although no camera was carried on Mir at launch.

The station was divided into two main sections, the work or control section and the living section. Forward of the work section was the docking module and airlock. Any of the hatches on the docking adapter could be used for EVA. The stations flight controls were located in the work section end of the station.

Mir was controlled by seven computers of the Strela system using what the Soviets described as new components like integrated circuits and other miniature electronic devices. A digital data bus provided connection from the computers to the stations systems and experiments. The computers could be programmed from the ground to operate the station and experiments for at least a few days at a time. Mir also was equipped with a new computer called the EVM (?type Argon 16B, processing total was less than 2 MIPS compatible with Igla or Kurs, replaced in 1990 by the Salyut-5B with 2 MIPS supporting only Kurs). All information on the station complex was displayed on its terminal. The computer was capable of maintaining the stations orientation indefinitely without human intervention as with the old Delta system. The space station controls included a new optical sight and a new portable orientation control stick. The environmental system was modified to maintain temperature from 18 to 29° C and given a greater ventilation capability than the previous Salyut's. Carbon dioxide removal was not like Salyut's and Soyuz filters, the Vozduyk molecular seive system rejected carbon dioxide directly to space.

A Mir trainer on Earth shows the control center without the clutter of the real station (see in a lower picture)

Most of the stations volume consisted of the living section. The galley and folding table were similar to Salyut equipment with built in food heaters for a crew of two. The floor of the living section was made up of several storage compartments for equipment. The treadmill was reoriented to face the control console instead of a wall as on Salyut 7. The ergometer was normally stowed beneath the floor behind the table.

CNES cosmonaut Jean-Loup Chretien during his Mir mission is show during a medical experiment. The fold out bicycle ergometer is shown just above his head. Mir's wood paneling is evident providing a touch of home.   Above his head the bycicle ergometer is folded out and someones foot can be seen in the pedal.   (Photo: CNES)

Like previous stations, Mir carried a chibis lower body low pressure suit and Penguin elastic suits. This storage space was made available by eliminating the telescope housing carried on all previous Salyut stations. Instead of a Salyut's equipment racks Mir had only living space for a crew of two. Each cosmonaut had a separate closet like compartment off the living section for sleep and privacy. Eliminating the equipment racks at the rear of the living section made the interior larger even though the outer dimensions remained the same as a Salyut.

For the crews entertainment and instruction there was a video tape recorder and a library of tapes for their use. The sleeping compartments each had a folding chair, mirror, port hole and sleeping bag. Next to the left side compartment was a small refrigerator which

Looking back from the control station into the living section. A mass of cassette tapes are fastened to the wall on the left.

could hold 40 kg. of food. The living compartment walls were covered with elastic straps to secure items and the general lighting was built into the ceiling. Hand rails ran the length of the walls and ceiling. There was only one scientific and trash airlock mounted hidden in the floor. As on Salyut, the sanitary station was in front of the intermediate section and included a new button activated spherical wash basin which had openings for the hands and face which were sprayed with water. The toilet was also a new design different than those on Salyut's. The new design used suction to pull solid waste into a bag for disposal. The stations water storage tanks were also located nearby, probably in the unpressurized engine compartment as on Salyut 7.

The Living section has a table (in front of the cosmonauts) for dining and work. A model of Mir sits on the table.

Mir is controlled by at computers of the Strela system using integrated circuits and other miniature electronic devices. A digital data bus provided connection from the computers to the stations systems and experiments. The computers could be programmed from the ground to operate the station and experiments for at least a few days at a time. Mir also was originally equipped with a new computer called the EVM, an Argon 16B, processing somewhat less than 2 MIPS and compatible with Igla or Kurs docking systems. This was replaced in 1990 by the Salyut-5B with 2 MIPS capacity supporting only Kurs docking systems.

The computer was originally capable of maintaining the stations orientation indefinitely without human intervention as was required periodically by the old Salyut's Delta system. As more modules were added to the complex and systems grew more complicated and degraded with age and periodic human intervention was required. All information on the station complex is displayed on its multiple video monitors. There are 900 displays and indicators on Mir and 350 average in each additional module.

It's estimated that when automatic control fails, the crew of 2 could maintain 65% of normal functions in Mir's 23 major subsystems. Originally, each day, 3-4 hours are spent in communications, 3-4 maintaining life support systems, 5 hours working on the experiment program. Research cosmonauts are allocated 60% time to the experiment program, accordingly the researcher needs less knowledge of station systems, estimated at 5-10% the knowledge of a commander. Routinely 7-8 different experiment projects are operated daily.

Today it is estimated that about 5 hours are spent daily maintaining station systems on a routine basis, but up to 80% of time is spent periodically as problems arise.

The environmental system was designed to maintain temperature from 18 to 29° C and given a greater ventilation capability than the previous Salyut's. Carbon dioxide removal was performed by the Kvant's Vozduyk system which is a molecular sieve which rejects carbon dioxide directly to space by repeatedly heating and cooling sieves. The backup for this is the lithium hydroxide filters which very similar are the primary and only system for carbon dioxide removal used on US shuttles.

Oxygen is obtained by electrolysis of water recovered from the atmosphere and waste water including urine. This is done in one of 2 Electron units in Kvant and Kvant-2. Each requires power and cooling and is supplemented by oxygen in tanks delivered by Progress and by lithium perclorate oxygen generating candles which use a high temperature chemical reaction to produce oxygen.

All modules on Mir are connected to the Kvant module by flexible air ducts laid through the hatches to gain the benefit of using the Vozduk and Electron oxygen generator in Kvant. Mir was configured to allow these pipes to be run to all modules that would be added later, in addition to the Soyuz transports docked to the forward and aft ports.

To power Mir solar cells and batteries are exclusively used as opposed to the US shuttle's fuel cells which require a constant supply of cryogenic hydrogen and oxygen. Mir is equipped with two gallium arsenide solar arrays attached to its mid-section. Each array is about 10 meters long and four meters wide, total area was 76 square meters, they spanned 29.73 meters and they produce an estimated 9 kilowatts of power. Provisions for installing an additional array to the mid-section were provided to power the Kvant module. This array was installed in 1987 and supplies about 2.4 kilowatts from 24 square meters area. The Kristal module was launched with 2 arrays generating about 20 KW and spanning 36 meters. One of Kristal's arrays was moved to Kvant, and the other was retracted to allow for shuttle dockings. Kvant-2 has 2 solar arrays similar to Mir's providing about 6 KW power. Spektr was equipped with 4 similar arrays. Priroda was designed to has a single array attached to its end but it was never equipped with one. Mir is equipped with buffer batteries for power surges and nighttime passes and several reserve batteries for use as additional modules were added to the station.

Maintaining Mir's orbital altitude is possible only by using docked Progress and Soyuz spacecraft. Mir boosts its orbit periodically when visiting Progress are available. Mir can go for months without boosts depending on how high its orbit happens to be to start with. Mir usually operates at about 200 miles altitude.

Attitude control is provided by over a dozen small rocket thrusters on Mir. They require propellant which is delivered by Progress which is therefore relatively expensive. Since Progress are expendable, their propulsion systems tend to be used the most leaving the Mir's as a reserve. Electrically powered Gyrodynes (big flywheels) were developed to provide attitude control by converting electrical to mechanical energy. The US Skylab and many unmanned satellites use very similar systems. Gyrodynes and the new life-support systems (Electron and Vozdukh) complex are installed not on the Mir base block but in separate module's (6 in Kvant and 6 in Kvant-2) that were later added to the station.

For cooling various systems and electronics the VGK thermal control system provides each module with high and low temperature cooling fluid via pipes interconnecting all modules with the Mir base block. Each module has external radiators which pass cooling fluid from outside the module to a heat exchanger where the two internal loops pass through. These internal loops have proven to be difficult to maintain as they are usually wet where exposed to the inside atmosphere. Corrosion is a problem and leaks have developed in the system for years which have to be patched by the crew.

Kvant-2 has a permanent shower stall, toilet and wash basin. Mir has another toilet (usually only one in made operational at once) and a treadmill and bicycle ergometer for crew exercise. Medical monitoring systems are in Mir's base block along with the galley and 2 sleep quarters.

The living compartments are in the rear of the living section. Here the entrance to one can be seen behind Shannon Lucid on the right.

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